Vessel for containing high pressure fluids



G. RAYMQND Erm. 2,268,961

VESSEL FIOR CONTAINING HIGH PRESSURE FLUDS 2 Sheets-Sheet l 'original Filed Dec. 51938 rNvE NToRs Gwynne Ray/nana Mer-l 0. freer/z, @ad Bea/ph I.. Fcay/es.

" ATTORNEY Jan. 6,1942 G. RAYMOND ETAL 2,268,961

A VESSEL FOR CONTAINING HIGH PRESSURE FLUIDS Original Filed Dec. 5, 1938 2 Sheets-SheerI 2 INVENTURS Gwynne Raymww Mer/ l2 (reec, W

' ,fa/plz L. Peay/es.

AT-roR'N EY operation.

Patented Jan. 6, 1942 Gwynne Raymond, Meri Creech, ind Ralph L. y

Feagles, Oklahoma City, Okla.

` original application December 5, 193s, sei-iai No.

Divided and'this application Marc 1o, 1939, semi No. 261,000

(ci. zzo-3) 5 Claims.V

Thisinvention relates to vessels particularly those capable of withstanding extremely high working pressures and temperatures, the present application being a division of application Serial Number'244,076, filed December 5, 1938.

Industry of today requires vessels which are adapted to safely'contain high pressures and temperatures. In fact many high pressure processes require use of vessels in such size that the walls must be as much as six to eight inches in thickness. The manufacture of such vessels is diillcult and the cost is extremely expensive.

Vessels fabricated of forged and heat treated plates of the required thickness have uncon trolled internal stresses which seriously weaken the structure and make it dimcult to calculate safe working pressures to which the vessel may be subjected. To solve these problems laminated vessels have been produced but they have proven little better than vessels having solid walls.

It is, therefore, the principal purpose of the present invention to provide a laminated vessel construction wherein the internal stresses of the respective laminations are controlled and distributed so that each layer takes its part of the working pressure when the vessel is vplaced in Other objects of the invention are to provide a laminated vessel having high strength weight ratio for safely containing a given pressure; and

to provide a vessel construction wherein the counted for inthe fact that the inner portion of the wall has compressed and the outer portion of the wall is placed in tension, with the result that the internal stresses seriously weaken the vessel and it is vnot capable of safely retaining the working pressures for which the wall thickness v was. designed. This action takes place in a tank laminations are securely anchored to the heads of the vessels. x

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, as hereinafter pointed out, we have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 lis a longitudinal section through a vessel constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the vessel on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. a is a similar section on the line as of '45 Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the inner shell or foundation of the vessel having the heads welded thereto and showing the formation of the wall 4wherein predetermined degreesof tension are produced in the respectivey layers.

Referring more in detail to the drawings: In carrying out our invention. we have discovered that when pressure is applied within the,

mit ready fabrication in cylindrical form. y

having a laminated Wall structure with the re.- sulty that the stresses imparted in the various layers do not adequately perform their part in withstanding high internal pressures. -We therefore flnd it highly advantageous in con'- structing a laminated vessel to establish predetermined stresses yinthe wall structurevby varying tension imparted to the respective layers so that the tension is controlled and varied according to the stresses which the respective layers must withstand.l f

When the circumferential wall of a cylindrical vessel is formed merely by winding oneconvolution on another and theheads welded thereto, it is difllcult to prevent leaks, and when a leak does occur in such a vessel the pressure creeps out between the laminations so that its origin cannot be determined from the outside of the vessel. In overcoming this diiliculty, we have adopted the principle of the automobile tire, wherein'the inner -tube prevents leaks and the outer casing gives the vrequired strength. The vessel, therefore, comprises A"an inner -shell l formed by rolling a sheet of metal of desired thickness to withstand testing pressures taking in consideration the inner diameter ofthe tank. The material, however, is sufciently thin tov erably solid metal heads 2 and 3 of desi ness, are welded `to the ends of the Kiri shell.,v In the illustrated instance the heads] and" 3 are substantially hemispherical in form and have their inner` radius corresponding to` the inner ,sel as shown in Fig. l. The abutting surfaces l `thereof project circumferentially of 'the outer surface of the shell andare tapered from the plane of' the centers of curvature to'facilitate welding as later described. The heads 2 and 3 and welded as indicated at 5 and 6.

When the shell is to be provided with a 21,'it should be of proper thickness to withstand internal pressures of the nnished vessel. In the illustrated instance the fitting is in theform of a ameter is not increased perceptibly. This is actheir stroke.

ring having a central opening 8 registering with a corresponding opening 9 in the shell. The outer periphery of the fitting is rounded on suitable curves. as at I 0, and the terminal thereof flattened, as at II and the central inner face is fitted to the shell and is countersunk as at I3 to receive welding I4 by which the'iitting is attached to the shell. The portion of the tting encircling the weld I4 is preferably tapered, as at I5, to form an annular space to receive a weldin'g material I6 that supplements the inner weld I4. The shell may then be tested for leaks in any suitable manner to assure that the welds and walls are leak-proof.

After testing, suitable trunnions 22` and 23 are temporarily welded or otherwise attached to the heads 2 and 3 in the axis thereof as shown in Fig.v4, so that the shell is rotatably supportable in bearings 24 and 25 carried on suitable supports 26 and 21. One of the trunnions, for example 22, is of sufficient length to be connected with any suitable power for effecting rotation of the shell. A metal ribbon 28 is then prepared, having a width corresponding to the spacing between the heads 2 and 3, and of -suiiicient length to provide the necessary number of convolutions to produce a tank of predetermined wall thickness. One end of the ribbon is then skived and welded to the tank by a transverse weld 29 as y shown in Fig. 4. The ribbon is then placed in ment with the ribbon by draw bolts 34 and 35,

inserted through the ends of the clamping bars 30-3I. arranged so that when pulling pressure is applied to the bars in a direction away from the welded end of the ribbon, this pressure acts to enhance gripping action of the wedges thereby preventing slippage between the bars and ribbon.

The ends of the bars are suitably connected through rods 36 and 31 with hydraulic devices 38 and 39 whereby variable tensions may be applied to the ribbon through control of' iiuid pressure medium used in the respective devices,`the pressures being indicated by gauges40 and 4I. While tension is being maintained on the ribbon with the hydraulic devices, the shell is rotated to wind the ribbon about the shell. On each revolution an opening 42 is cut in the ribbon so that the tting will pass therethrough, permitting the convolutions to closely engage each other whereby frictional contact of one convolution on the other prevents unwindingv thereof and maintains the predetermined tension imparted therein. If desired the ribbon may be provided with welding apertures 43 whereby one convolution is tacked to the other as indicated at 44. Attention is drawn to the fact that a longitudinal The thicker portions of the wedges arel ing bars and cut from the ends of the heads.

completing a tank assembly.

In tanks requiring longer ribbons than the length of sheets obtainable, the ribbons may be formed of ,a series of sheets having the ends cut on a bias and Welded together as shown in Fig. 4, so that the gripping action of the next upper and lower convolutions supplements strength of the weld.

ltension placed on the ribbon also exerts a corresponding tension transversely thereof.

A'suiiicient number of convolutions is wound on the shell so `that the peripheral face of the final convolutiony registers with the peripheral edges of the heads. During the winding `it may vbe necessary to readjust the bars 30--3I when the hydraulic devices have come to the end of While readjustment is made tension is maintained on the ribbon by a similar mechanism, adjustable weights, or the like. When the winding is completed the free edge of the ribbon may be skived., as indicated at 45,

In extremely long tanks two or more ribbons may be wound on the shell and welded together in the same manner as above described.

In order to give a better understanding of the variable or differential tension applied in the respective convolutions to produce a vessel having maximum strength, the following is a calculation for a vessel having a 3/1,inch shell rolled to 14 inches inside diameter, then wound with `a 1/ig-inch plate to bring the final outside diameter to 1'11/2 inches, giving a total wall thickness of 1% inches, a working pressure within the tank assumed to be 3,000 pounds per square inch.

The A. S. M. E. code gives the following as the stress in the above vessel:

The stress in the above vessel using the more exact equation derived and applicable to shells relatively thick compared to the diameter Strength of Materials" Case, Longmans, chap. XXVIII) where r1=inner radius of vessel.

r2=outer radius of vessel.

r :radius at point where stress is to be found. p :internal pressure.

s :stress caused by this pressure.

Substituting in the above formula we get stress at inner radius where r=rr Stress at outer radius where r=rz S 13,680 lbiL/in.z

S 10,700 iba/in.z

Tensions and compressions in the different layers as they are wound on the-vessel:

e/s 7/8 s/s 9/8 10/8 111s iz/s 1.1/8 u/tv 60o 60o l. 1.115 515 vcoo 1,491 45a 53s 50o 1,702 42o 505 467 40o 1,942 aso 465 421 aso 2.163 344 421 391 324 2,304 311 ass 35s 291 2,443 css ses 335 26s The stresses due to the above tensionsar'rd to the internal pressure will be as follows:

- Internal Stress due Total Radus stress to pressure stress 7. 000 3, 257 13, 7m l0, 400 7. 750 7. 875 2, 300 12, 1m -14, 400 8. 000 2, 920 11, 'lm- 14, 600 8. 125 2, 680 11, 500 14, 200 8. 25() 2', 150 11, 4m 13, 6m 8. 375 2, 464 1l, m 13, 6a) S. 500 2, 750 (Il) 13, 7m 8. G25 3, 200 10,700 Vla, 9m 8. 750 2, 400 10, 600 13, wo

In the above tabulation, the total stress is the algebraic sum of the initial stress and the stress due to the internal pressure.

The above calculations for a specific tank are merely illustrative of the variable stresses im-.

- 3. A laminated vessel subject to internal pressure including, a relatively thin walled tubular shell, heads secured to the ends of th'eshell and naving an inner radius-approidma'tely correparted in the respective layers, and these stresses 1 may be varied therefrom to provide a tank suitable for any given service. 1

From the foregoing. it is apparent that we have provided a laminated tank wherein the respective convolutions are maintained under a predetermined initial stress in both circumferential and axial directions with respect -to the tank calculated to give maximum strength and to' safely sponding to the inner radius of the shell and of a thickness so that the outer radius is greater than the outer radius of the shell to provide one side -of a welding groove, a plurality of sheet metal layers encircling the shell, one continuous With the other to substantiallythe depth of the welding groove to form the other side of the welding groove, and welding material filling the welding grooves and connecting adjacent edges ofthe layers with said heads, said metal layers having prefixed-hoop! tension resisting forces between said heads in the axial direction of said vessel and for eiecting circumferential tensile stresses of predetermined magnitude circumferentially of said vessel under pressure. contained in the interior of the vessel.

4. A laminated vessel subject to internal pressure including,l a relatively thin walled tubular shell, heads secured to the ends of the shellland having an inner radius approximately corresponding to the inner radius of the shell' and of a thickness so that the outer radius is greater than the outer radius of the shell toprovide o ne side of a welding groove, a plurality of sheet metal layers encircling the shell, one continuous with the other to substantially the depth of the welding groove, and welding material illling the welding grooves and connecting adjacent edges-of the .layers with said h'eads, said layers having preilxed hoop tension resisting forces between said heads in both axial and circumferential -directions and ior effecting circumferential stresses of predetermined magnitude under internal pressure contained in the vessel. 5. A laminated vessel subject to internal pressure-including. a relatively thin walled tubular shell, heads secured to the ends of the shell and having an inner radius approximately corresponding to the inner radius of the shell and of a thickness so that the outer radius is greater than the outer radius of the sh'ell to provide one side ot a welding groove, a plurality of sheet metal layers encircling the shellone continuous with the other to substantially the depth of the welding groove, and welding material lining the welding groovev and connecting adjacent edges of the layers with said heads, said layers having prestresses and with the side edges thereof'iixedto ends of the shell for enhancing the resistance of the vessel to bursting pressures in both circum-ff ferential and longitudinaldirections.

2. A laminated vessel subject to-internal prest sure including, a vrelatively thin walled tubularl shell and a plurality of sheet metal layers encircling the shell, one continuous with the other, each having a predetermined hoop tension establishing tensile stresses of substantially the same magnitude under pressure within the vessel with the side edges thereof xed to ends of the fixed hoop tension resisting forces between said vessel.

GWYNNE RAYMOND. MERL D. CREECH. v RALPH L; FEAGLES. 

